The Lycanthropist's Wife
by Ralinde
Summary: AU. The war is over and together with the Ministry, Tonks sets up a program to help werewolves reintegrate into wizarding society. Fleur is there for moral support and to help her. Can something more come of this? Written for the Fanfiction Dominoes on the HPFC, for the pairing Fleur/Tonks.


_A/N: This is written for the Fanfic Dominoes Challenge on HPFC. _

_AU in which Tonks survives the war._

* * *

"So, ehm, welcome everyone," Tonks stammered as everyone in the room looked expectantly at her. The many eyes upon her made her nervous. _She should never have agreed to do this, she was a terrible public speaker!_

"We're all gathered here today because we are, or are related to, a werewolf. And now that the war is over, it's time for us to come to terms with that. Ehm…"

She blushed. _Bugger it, she had faced Death Eaters, surely she could handle a little speech? _

"Ehm, right, as I was saying, we need to embrace our werewolf-selfs or other-halfs. Because werewolves are people too and you deserve a second chance. You're witches and wizards who should be proud of who they are. And… I know it's difficult and all, but… it shouldn't keep you from who you want to be… and… ehm…"

The young witch tripped over her own words and wished that there was a hatchet in the floor so she could just disappear there and then.

She decided to take a different approach.

"My husband was a werewolf," she said. "He was a brave man, who like many others was killed in the Battle for Hogwarts. Not because he supported Voldemort," (the audience shuddered at the name) "but because he fought against him."

She noticed that when she spoke of Remus, she didn't stutter.

"He was a part of the close group of people Harry Potter trusted most and he was a good husband. He fought to get recognition, and he didn't have an easy life. But that's why this program is here. To help and support you so you don't have to go through the same ordeal as he did to find your place in this world."

She glanced around the room as she said this. Most of the gathering consisted of werewolves – she considered herself an expert on the signs by now – and only a shockingly small number was with a supportive relative or friend. Out of the relatives, she noticed that she and Fleur were the only partners, the others were either parents or siblings. It saddened her, because it proved that there was still a long way to go before werewolves would be fully accepted by society. _But,_ she thought on a more optimistic note, _they're here and they want to learn to accept themselves, and that's a start. _

She saw that Fleur gave her an encouraging smile, so she continued her story.

* * *

Fleur clapped just a little harder than the rest of the audience after Tonks left the stage. Considering everything Tonks and Remus had overcome together, she thought it was very brave of her to start the Lycantropist Integration Program to help others. She herself had it fairly easy. Bill may have been bitten by a werewolf, but not by a fully transformed one, so even though he had certain tendencies, he never actually turned into a werewolf himself.

"You did well," she told Tonks once she was seated and Minister Shacklebolt had taken over her place on the stage.

"Thanks," she replied. "I'm not sure it's deserved, but…"

"Nonsense," Fleur said resolutely. "I thought zat you were very brave up zere. I couldn't 'ave done it."

Somehow, Fleur's words seemed to cheer her up. "Thanks," she said, this time more genuine.

Fleur thought she had a beautiful smile – if only she would show it more often.

* * *

At the next meeting, Tonks saw three faces that hadn't been there last week. They were probably encouraged by Kingley's pro-werewolf actions: the Werewolf Capture Unit was closed down, the Werewolf Support Services were reinstalled – this integration program the first task - , and Kingsley had made an official declaration that werewolves no longer fell under the Beast Division but under the Beings Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. These were all big steps in getting the werewolves the recognition they deserved.

Tonks held up Teddy. "This," she spoke, "is Teddy. Son of Remus Lupin, who was a werewolf. My son doesn't have any werewolf-characteristics, which goes to prove that lycanthropy isn't hereditary, contrary to what they tried to make you believe in the past."

A sigh of relief went through the audience.

"But even if it were," Tonks continued, "it wouldn't make me stop loving my child. I'm the wife of a lycanthropist, but first and foremost I'm the wife of Remus Lupin, who decided he could be so much more than 'just a werewolf'. And even if lycanthropy was something you'd pass down on further generations, I'd teach my son that he could achieve great things as well."

* * *

Fleur touched the small bump that was beginning to form. She agreed with Tonks that she would love Bill just as much if he _did_ turn into an actual werewolf once a month, as she would the child growing inside of her if lycanthropy proved hereditary. It would have mattered to her once, but it didn't matter anymore.

Tonks' persistence to love Remus had taught her that.

She looked once again at the little kid in Tonks' arms. The boy was smiling and waving at the crowd and all in all, he looked adorable. He ressembled Tonks. He had the same nose, the same smile and the same colour-changing hair. Only time would tell if he'd got her spirit as well, but she didn't doubt that

"Let's 'ave tea," she said when the meeting is over. "It'd be nice to spend some time togezer and chat."

"That sounds lovely," Tonks replied. "But, Teddy?"

"Bring 'im along."

They set off together towards one of the small tea parlours at Diagon Alley.

It would become a regular pattern. They went to the meetings - Fleur even went when Bill was away for work in Egypt - and afterwards they would spend an agreable afternoon in a tea parlour, in the park, or at one of their houses.

Fleur liked having a friend like Tonks. She felt that she could share things with her that she couldn't share with anyone else.

* * *

Tonks liked having a friend like Fleur, too. Fleur understood her and she could rely on her. She noticed that she started looking forward to the weekly meetings, but mostly because afterwards she and Fleur would go for cup of tea.

Of course, it was great to see the progress the werewolfs were making - they had even had a few more late-joiners, accompagnied by friends or relatives, which was hopeful - but Tonks found that she could focus less and less.

Whenever the participants were working in pairs to come to terms with their other-self, Tonks would look around the room to capture Fleur's gaze. Every time their eyes connected, she smiled, like they shared a secret only they knew.

* * *

Fleur had never thought that the integration program would be such a success. But people knew about Remus Lupin, knew what he had done during the war, how bravely he had fough and the hardships he had had to endure. Harry and others had made sure that his name would not be forgotten. So people remembered, remembered that a werewolf, someone who was just like them, had been a hero, and they started to want to demand their place in society as well. So part of the program's succes was because it was connected to Remus' name.

But she knew that it wouldn't be half so succesful if it weren't for Tonks. Tonks, with her bubblegum pink hair and her bright personality, who was able to encourage everyone to express their feelings and who could make people who thought all was lost revalue their lives and their being. She showed them lycanthropy wasn't the end of the world. She showed them her pride in being the wife of lycanthropist, and in being the mother of his son.

When the twenty-something girl with scars on her face confessed that she had finally told the object of her year-long crush how she felt about him, the entire crowd erupted in applaus. _They have become kind of like a family to each other,_ Fleur thought. _And a victory for one of them, is almost like a victory for all of them._

She proudly looked at Tonks and felt her heart swell up with pride for the woman who had made this all possible.

* * *

They didn't know how it happened, or who had initiated it, but at one of their afternoon teas, they found themselves holding hands. They smiled at each other. They still loved their husbands, but they realised they loved each other as well. And that was possibly the best feeling in the world.


End file.
